Air cleaner



Oct. 29, 1929. GLKAMRA'TH 1,733,491

AIR CLEANER Filed May 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 29, 1929. KAMRATH 1,733,491

AIR CLEANER Filed May 15. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sylvan 011,

Patented Oct. 29, 1929 HERBERT G. KAMRATH, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN AIR CLEANER Application filed May 13, 1925.

The object of this invention is to provide an air cleaner operating on the inertia principle, that is, one in which the particles of dust are separated from the air stream by virtue of their greater inertia, the cleaner to be of such construction as to permit substantially unrestricted flow of air therethrough to the carburetor.

In carrying out this invention I have preferably provided a substantially cylindrical casing having portions of different diameters and have provided a passage for the introduction of air into one of said portions and a passage for the discharge of air from another of said portions. These passages, particularly the inlet passage, are preferably tangentially arranged so that the stream of air within the casing may be in whirling motion. Between these passages I have provided a trap for the dust, or, more exactly,

for the outer dust laden portions of the whirling air stream. This trap in my preferred form consists of a tangentially arranged opening in the periphery of the casing through which the dust laden portions of the air stream are discharged into a receptacle or, as shown on the drawing, into the atmosphere. I have also preferably provided a member passing centrally through the casing for the purpose of clamping the parts together or for the purpose of introducing a heating medium to heat the air in its passage through the cleaner, this member also, if desired, serving to assist in impressing a whirlin motion upon the air stream.

eferring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile engine with my cleaner applied to the carburetor thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged end elevation of my cleaner with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the cleaner with parts in section;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3 Figure 5 is a side elevation of an automobile engine having a slightly modified arrangement of cleaner applied thereto;

Figure 6 shows my cleaner as viewed from 50 line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Serial No. 30,001.

Figure 7 shows a cleaner differing slightly from that shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a section on line 88 of F igure 7; and

Figure 9 is a detail View showing a form of joint between the casing members differing slightly from that shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 5, the reference character 2 indicates a conventional automobile power plant having the usual exhaust manifold 4, fan 6, and carburetor 8. The reference character 10 on Figure 1, indicates one form of air cleaner and the reference character 12 on Figure 5, indicates a modified formof cleaner. These cleaners in both 05 instances supply air to the mixing chamber of the carburetor 8 by any suitable connections as shown.

The form of cleaner shown in Figures 1 to 4 will first be described. In those figures the reference character 14 indicates, generally, a casing of substantially cylindrical form comprising portions 16 and 18 of differing diameters, the diameter of the portion 18 being preferably the less. The reference character 20 indicates an air inlet and the reference character 22 indicates an air outlet, these passages being spaced axially of the casing and the inlet passage preferably facing the fan in order to receive air under pressure. However, this last is not essential and if desired the inlet passage may face away from the fan as in the form of the invention shown in Figure 7 in order to secure a preselection of relatively clean air for the 35 heavier particles of dust, by virtue of their greater momentum, will be carried past the inlet. The passage 20 is tangentially arranged with respect to the casing 16 in order to impart a whirling motion to the entering air. The passage 22 is also preferably tangentially arranged in order to facilitate the discharge of the whirling air. The reference character 24 indicates an annular member located between the parts 16 and 18 and pro- 95 vided with flanges engaging these parts. If preferred the member 24 may take the form shown at 24' in Figure 9, thus providing an annular chamber 25 for a purpose which will be described. The remote ends of the por- 100 tions 16 and 18 of the casing 14 are provided with separate closure plates 26 and 28 although these plates may be formed integrally with members 16 and 18 as shown in Figure 9, if desired. These plates are pref erably centrally apertured for the passage of member 30 which, in this form of the invention, consists of a bar like member having its ends threaded to receive nuts 32 and 34 for clamping the parts of the cleaner in assembled relation.

Adjacent the annular member 24 part 16 is provided with a tangentially arranged passage 36 for the discharge of the dust laden portions of the air stream. This passage is formed by pressing out a portion of the metal of the part 16 as clearly shown in Figure 4.

The operation of the device is as follows. The air entering through passage 20 has impressed upon it a whirling motion which results in throwing the dust particles outwardly so that they hug the interior of the part 16. The oil'set constituted by the portion 24 prevents the dust particles from being carried into the portion 18 of the casing and they are eventually discharged through the passage 36. The remaining portion of the air stream passes into the part l8 andis discharged through the passage 22 into the carburetor. With this construction of cleaner it will be noted that there are no obstructions in the path of the main air current and substantially the full'suction of the engine is available at the inlet 20.

The purpose of the annular trough 25 provided by the construction shown in Figure 9 is now apparent. It serves to further insure that the dust laden portions of the air stream shall not pass into the portion 18 but shall be whirled aroundin the trough until finally ejected through the passage 36.

The construction shown in Figures 5 and 6 is substantially the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 4 except that the member 36 is replaced by the exhaust conduit 37, omit-' ting however its clamping function. although it is obvious that this may be combined therewith. The exhaust conduit 37 serves to heat the air during the cleaning process and at the same time assists in impressing upon the entering air the desired whirling motion. Attention is also called to the fact that owing to the inclination of the exhaust conduit the entrapped dust will gravitate toward the discharge passage 36 in addition to being carried to that point by the whirling action.

Figures 7 and 8 show a modified form of casing and also show the air inlet 40 facing in the direction of the flow of air from the fan so that there is a preselection of con? paratively clean air before entrance into the cleaner. The structural difierences are aparent from an inspection of the figure. bus the substantially cylindrical casing is composed of two parts numbered 42 and'44,

the end of the portion 44 which projects into the portion l2 and the lower inwardly turned portion of the member 42 cooperating to form channel 46 which functions in the same manner as channel 25 of Figure 9.

I claim:

1. An air cleaner of the centrifugal type comprising a cylindrical container, a second cylindrical container of less diameter than the first cylinder-and communicating therewith, a tangentially arranged air inlet for said first cylinder, an air outlet for said second cylinder, means for securing said containers in assembled relation, and a discharge port in said first cylinder adjacent its junction with said second cylinder to permit outward passage of the dust laden portions of the air stream.

2. An air cleaner comprising a cylindrical member, a second cylindrical member of less diameter adjacent thereto, a tangential air inlet for said first named cylindrical memher, a tangential air outlet for said second named cylindical member, an annular member interposed between said cylindrical members, means for closing the ends of said cylindrical members, means for securing said parts in assembled relation, said cleaner being provided adjacent the junction of said cylindrical members and radially outward of the second cylindrical member with an orifice for the discharge of the dust laden portion of the air stream.

3. An air cleaner comprising a casing having different diametersin different portions thereof, openings for the passage of air spaced axially of the casing, one of said open ing being tangentially arranged. a trap for r the separation of dust particles from the air stream located between said openings, and. a member passing centrally through said cas mg.

4. An air cleaner, comprising a cylindrical member, a second cylindrical member of less diameter adjacent thereto. a tangential air inlet for said first named cylindrical memher, and air outlet for said second named cylindrical member, an annular member interposed between said cylindrical members,

means for closing the ends of said cylindrical members, means for securing'said parts in as sembled relation, said cleaner being provided ad acent the junctionofsaidcylindricalmemhers and radially outward of the second cylindrical member with an orifice for the discharge of the dust laden portion of the air stream.

5 An air cleaner comprising a cylindrical casing, a second cylindrical casing of less di ameter extending into the first casing, a tangent al air inlet for the first casing for imparting a whirling motion to the entering air stream to eiiect separation of dust particles, an air outlet for'the second casing,*an annular member interposed between the casings and, in combination with the firstcasingfiorming an annular dust trap, and means for 010*- ing the ends of the cylindrical members.

6. A casing comprising end walls and concentrically arranged cylindrical side wall portions of diiferent diameters, the side wall portion of greater diameter being provided with a tangential air inlet for imparting a whirling motion to the entering air stream, a clean air Outlet for the portion of lesser diameter, and a tangential dust discharge passage in the wall portion of greater diameter adjacent its junction with the portion of lesser diameter.

7. An air cleaner comprising a cup-shaped member of large diameter, a cup-shaped member of small diameter, said members being connected together with their open ends facingeach'other, said large cup-shaped member being provided with a tangential air inlet adjacent its closed end and with a tangential dust outlet adjacent its connection with the smaller member, said last named member being provided with a tan 'ential clean air outlet adjacent its closed en 8. An air cleaner comprising a pair of cupshaped members of difi'erent diameters arranged with their open ends facing each other, each of said members comprising an end wall and a cylindrical side wall, the side wall portion of greater diameter being provided with a tangential air inlet for imparting a whirling motion to the entering air, the cup-shaped member of lesser diameter being provided with a clean air discharge port adjacent the closed end, and the cup-shaped member of greater diameter being provided with a peripheral dust discharge port adjacent its unction with the member of lesser diameter.

9. An aircleaner comprising a pair of cupshaped members of difierent diameters having their open ends facing each other, said member of greater diameter being rovided with a tangential air inlet adjacent its closed end and a tangential dust outlet adjacent its opposite end, said member of lesser diameter bein provided with a clean air outlet, and a tubu ar conduit extending axially through said cleaner and adapted for the conduction of heated medium.

In testimony whereof I aflix In signature.

HERBERT G. KA BATH. 

